Three people, including two from Madhya Pradesh, were arrested for allegedly trafficking a 14-year-old girl from Kandhamal district, Odisha, two months ago.
The girl was rescued from Mahesh Patel’s house in Jaisiv Nagar, Madhya Pradesh, after a police investigation traced her movement across states.
The accused have been identified as Sashi Bhusan Pani (28) from Tumudibandh, Kandhamal district, Odisha, and Sandeep Patel (24) and his elder brother Mahesh Patel (38), both residents of Jaisiv Nagar, Sagar district, Madhya Pradesh. A middleman, who allegedly sold the girl to Mahesh Patel for Rs 70,000, remains at large.
According to police, Pani allegedly persuaded the girl’s mother to allow her daughter to work as a domestic helper in a nearby area but instead transported her to Madhya Pradesh, handing her over to a middleman. The case is being investigated further to identify all persons involved in the trafficking network